Tankho Selimovich Izrailov (russian: Танхо Селимович Израилов; he, תנקהו ישראלוב born December 2, 1917 – November 30, 1981) was a Soviet Dagestan

ballet dancer A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...

, a ballet master, a choreographer, and of Mountain Jewish origin. He was awarded the honorary title People's Artist of the USSR.

Biography

Tankho Izrailov was born in the village of Tsovkra,

Kulinsky District Kulinsky District (russian: Кулинский райо́н; Lak: ) is an administrativeLaw #16 and municipalLaw #6 district (raion), one of the forty-one in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is located in the south of the republic. The area o ...

, Dagestan,

Mountain Republic The Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus (MRNC; also known as the United Republics of the North Caucasus, Mountain Republic or the Republic of the Mountaineers) was a country in the North Caucasus formed by the unification of Circassians ...

. He studied at the Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Baku. In 1934 Izrailov founded and led the dance ensemble of the Mountain Jews. From 1937 to 1954, he was the soloist and assistant choreographer of the Ensemble of Folk Dance of the USSR under the direction of

Igor Moiseyev Igor Alexandrovich Moiseyev (russian: Игорь Александрович Моисеев; – 2 November 2007) was a Soviet choreographer. Moiseyev was widely acclaimed as the greatest 20th-century choreographer of character dance, a dance ...

. In 1955 Tankho Izrailov graduated from the department of the choreography at the Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts (GITIS) in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

. Tankho Izrailov staged performances of dances of the play ''"Dawn of the Caspian Sea"'' at the

Yermolova Theatre The Yermolova Theatre (russian: Москóвский теáтр им. М. Н. Ермóловой) is a theatre company in the Tverskoy District of central Moscow. It is under the artistic direction of Vladimir Andreyev (russian: Владимир ...

, ''"Grooms"'' (A. Tokayev) at the Moscow Academic Theatre of Satire, and ''"Silk Suzani"'' (A. Kakhara) at the Moscow Regional Drama Theater named after A. Ostrovsky. In 1954-55 Izrailov was the director of the National Academic Ensemble of Folk Dance ''"Joc,"'' and from 1955 to 1958 he headed the Dance Ensemble of the Turkmen SSR. Tankho Izrailov was the creator, artistic director and choreographer of the Choreography Folk Dance Ensemble of the Dagestan ASSR ''"

Lezginka The Lezginka ( lez, Лезги кьуьл; russian: Лезгинка; Tat: ''Ləzgihəngi''; az, Ləzginka or ) is the collective name originally given by Russians to all Caucasian dances united by fast rhythm. It can be solo male or pair danc ...

."'' The first performance took place on May 11, 1958 in Makhachkala Theater named after

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...

. Immediately after the first performance the ensemble was invited to Moscow to represent the culture of Dagestan in the

State Kremlin Palace The State Kremlin Palace (russian: Государственный Кремлёвский Дворец), formerly and unofficially still better known as the Kremlin Palace of Congresses (Кремлёвский Дворец съездов), is a ...

. Soon, the dance ensemble Lezginka began tours around the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

and foreign countries. They gained worldwide fame. Izrailov headed the dance ensemble Lezginka from 1958 to 1978. He was buried at the

Kuntsevo Cemetery The Kuntsevo Cemetery (russian: Ку́нцевское кла́дбище, kúntsevkoye kládbishche) is a cemetery servicing Kuntsevo, Moscow. It is located on the bank of the Setun River, to the south of the Mozhaisk Highway (the continuation ...

in Moscow.

Awards

* Honored Artist of the Turkmen SSR *

People's Artist of the RSFSR People's Artist of the RSFSR (russian: Народный артист РСФСР, ''Narodnyj artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet Union artists, including theatre and film directors, choreographers, music performers, and orchest ...

(1967) A draw sketch of Tankho Izrailov
/ref> * People's Artist of the USSR (1978) *

Order of the Badge of Honour The Order of the Badge of Honour (russian: орден «Знак Почёта», orden "Znak Pochyota") was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Izrailov, Tankho 1917 births 1981 deaths People from Dagestan Mountain Jews Soviet Jews Russian male ballet dancers Soviet choreographers Russian choreographers People's Artists of the USSR People's Artists of the RSFSR Russian Academy of Theatre Arts alumni Burials at Kuntsevo Cemetery